Life Cycles
by Kenzstuff17
Summary: Tenzin never understood how Avatar Aang was always right. Hours after his beloved father's death, he and his mother, Master Katara, find solice in Aang's words. 'Life is but a cycle, my time in it is over, but hers has just begun.' K for character death. Pre- Legend of Korra/ Post- Endgame.


**Life Cycles**

Tenzin

How dare he smile at me.

How dare he look so happy.

My dear father was dying, yet he looked as though the world was without trouble. About to leave me his legacy as The Last Airbender.

I look to my mother and siblings, who were standing at his bedside, speaking silently to the near 70 year old man.

My father, the Avatar.

"Tenzin, my son, why the downtrodden look?" he speaks, his normally smooth voice was now hoarse and rough, but despite his condition, he smiles worriedly at me. Kya and Bumi both turn towards me as he speaks, but mother continues to stare at him, her eyes teary.

"Why are you so happy, father, do you want to leave us?" I ask, his grey eyes widen.

"Tenzin, why would you think that? I love you all so much, It's not that I _want _to leave you, but life is a cycle, and my time in it is over. The new avatar will take my place and I will see you all in the end, hopefully many years from now."

Curse his wisdom.

"That depends, Aang, how long until our third-great grandchild?" mother asks, her frown prominent. I had an idea what they were talking about, but Aunt Wu was a fake.

"Ah, Katara, you still believe that? You did marry a powerful bender, but back then, I wasn't all that powerful. She could've been speaking of Zuko for all we know," mother chokes out a laugh, or was it a sob. Either way she looks at father like he's insane, but her incredulous look fades as he visibly cringes in pain, his resolve weakening.

"I will live on in her," I hear gasps, one from myself, as his eyes and arrows light to a chilling blue, signaling The Avatar state. And then it was gone, he looks to my mother, "That was Roku. It is my time, I love you all. Katara, you have always been with me, since you cracked open that iceberg all those years ago. You are my best friend. Kya, my Waterbender, take care of Chang, and do be careful. Bumi, my warrior, don't get killed, Please," at this, we all laugh a bit Bumi is….reckless at the least.

"No promises, Dad."

Father nods, before turning to me, "Tenzin, my Airbender, do not trouble yourself with being the Last Airbender. All will work out. Take care of Pema, my son."

I nod, "With my life Father."

He laughs, a choked, forced sound. "Don't be so serious, Tenzin."

He cringes once again. "Help her." And then he is gone. A ghost of a smile on his face, mother cries with my sister, as Bumi and I cover his head with the sheet he laid under. Helping Kya stand, my siblings and myself walk out the door, to the home of my cousin, and chief of the Southern Water tribe, wear my mother and father have stayed since he fell ill.

Kai and his younger sister, Yue step out of the small igloo, a sad smile etched in their features, "He's gone then," Yue asks, I nod and a few tears escape her light brown eyes.

Hours later, we were all back in mother's home, as she had calmed significantly, her heartbreaking sobs had ceased as she had stated that father wouldn't want to be the cause of tears. Bumi was recalling a story from our childhood, when father had taken the three of us 'fruit pie slinging' and the targets were the Air Acolytes.

Suddenly an earsplitting scream is heard, Tonraq, a young man from the tribe who I remember mother teaching waterbending to years ago, bursts in.

"Sifu! I apologize for interrupting, but my wife, she's -"

"In labor?" mother interrupts, he nods quickly, "Then lets go."

I glare at Tonraq. Can he not see that we are _grieving?_ My father just died! The avatar. _The Avatar just died._

_I will live on through her._

_Life is a Cycle, my time is over._

_Help her._

The Avatar cycle. Earth, Fire, Air, _Water._ The next Avatar will be from one of the water tribes! And this child. This child could be the reincarnation of my father.

I rush after my mother and Tonraq, leaving Kya and Bumi in my wake.

Two hours later, after waiting outside of the small igloo, mother steps out with tears in her eyes, not from sadness though. They are relieved tears.

"Tenzin, Senna just delivered a baby girl, and they've named her Korra," she smiles.

"She's the one, isn't she?" I ask, my features softening.

Mother nods, pulling me into a hug, and as her grip tightens, I feel an unnaturally warm and powerful breeze, rush past me, blowing my robes against me, and I hear it, ever so quietly in the current.

_Avatar Korra. _I hear his voice, as it was when I was just a child. _Wonderful._

"I agree," I state, my voice lower than a whisper.

**17 years later**

I watch in amazement as the young girl bends all four elements, as though she had never lost three of them.

Pema steps beside me, holding Rohan in one arm, while Meelo, Ikki, and Jinora all ride air scooters around the young Avatar, laughing as they narrowly dodge the gusts of wind she throws their way, before chasing her around, using their abilities to boost their speed and tackle the young girl.

She laughs, standing and uses her Earthbending to move them away from her, walking over to the young Firebender, Mako. Who just shakes his head, muttering incoherently, "Showoff", before getting thrown a few feet in the air and landing with an audible thud, groaning. I laugh, pulling my wife close as we watch them all and I realize, not for the first time that my father was right. Wasn't he always?

**A/N -Yes, yes he is. In case you didn't figure it out, Kai and Yue are Sokka and Suki's children. Who cares if they're real or not? They're names are cool. ****J**** Hope you enjoyed this one-shot ****J**


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